Pick a Day

Music History Events: Awards and Honors

August 26, 2005 A post office in Los Angeles is officially renamed after singer Ray Charles due to its close proximity to the studio where he recorded later in life.

June 10, 2005 Ottawa Governor General Adrienne Clarkson officially makes Paul Anka an Officer of the Order of Canada.

May 7, 2005 Giacomo, owned by A&M Records founder Jerry Moss, wins the Kentucky Derby at 50-to-1 odds.

March 17, 2005 Robert Plant is presented with his lifetime achievement Grammy award at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

March 14, 2005 In New York City, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts Percy Sledge, The O'Jays, U2, Buddy Guy, and The Pretenders.

December 5, 2004 In Washington D.C., Elton John receives a Kennedy Center honor.

November 9, 2004 Kenny Chesney is the big winner at the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Chesney, who had never won a CMA award, scores both the Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year trophies. The latter is for his No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems set.

November 8, 2004 Brad Paisley, Chris DuBois, Neil Thrasher, and Emmylou Harris and EMI Music Publishing are the top honorees at the 42nd Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards, held at Nashville's Opryland Hotel.

November 3, 2004 Eric Clapton is made a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) by Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace.

November 1, 2004 EMI pays tribute to Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who celebrates 50 years recording for the company. In a rare appearance at a private party at EMI's London headquarters, Rostropovich is presented with a golden Neumann microphone and a plaque commemorating the 100 recordings he has made with the company since 1954.

October 3, 2004 VH1 holds its first Hip-Hop Honors, giving awards to DJ Hollywood, DJ Kool Herc, KRS-One, Public Enemy (who also perform), Rock Steady Crew, Run-D.M.C., Tupac and The Sugarhill Gang.

September 20, 2004 Billy Joel gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

August 28, 2004 Lou Rawls is awarded an honorary doctorate from Ohio's Wilberforce University in recognition of his charity work with the United Negro College Fund and his "lifelong service to the education of historically disadvantaged populations."

July 31, 2004 It's "Mac Davis Day" in Lubbock, Texas, home of the songwriter who composed such classics as "In The Ghetto" and "A Little Less Conversation."

June 24, 2004 Doris Day receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

June 23, 2004 St. Andrews University in Scotland presents Bob Dylan with an honorary Doctor of Music degree.

May 27, 2004 The Bee Gees are made Commanders of the Order of the British Empire by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace; Maurice's son Adam accepts on behalf of his father, who'd just died six months earlier.

March 20, 2004 Quincy Jones receives an honorary doctorate in Music from The University of Washington.

March 15, 2004 The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducts Bob Seger, George Harrison, The Dells, ZZ Top, Jackson Browne, Prince, and Traffic at their annual ceremony in New York City.

February 17, 2004 The Darkness win Brit Awards for Best British group, Best British Rock Act and Best British Album (Permission to Land). Busted wins for the British Breakthrough Award and takes Best Pop Act.

January 1, 2004 Charles Aznavour is named a Commander in the French Legion of Honor.

November 15, 2003 Alejandro Fernandez, Bacilos and Mana are the big winners at Mexico's second Premios Oye! in Mexico City, taking home two awards each. Fernandez is named Best Ranchero Act, and his "Nina Amada Mia" wins Best Popular (regional Mexican) Song. Bacilos wins Best Pop Group and Best Pop Song for "Caraluna." Mana wins Best Rock Group; its Revolucion de Amor is voted Album of the Year.

November 10, 2003 An emotional tribute to the recently deceased Johnny Cash is held at Nashville's famous Ryman Auditorium, featuring classic Cash songs performed by Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Kid Rock, and Steve Earle.

November 6, 2003 Justin Timberlake wins for Best Male Artist, Best Pop Act and Best Album (Justified) at the 10th annual MTV Europe Music Awards.

October 23, 2003 Mexican rap-rock band Molotov tops the second annual MTV Video Music Awards Latin America with four wins, including Video of the Year and Best Group.

October 12, 2003 Rapper 50 Cent takes home all five trophies for which he is nominated at the World Music Awards, held in Monaco. Russian teen duo t.A.T.u. picks up three awards, while Norah Jones and Eminem win two.

October 5, 2003 Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice collects the third annual Shortlist Music Prize, climaxing a four-and-a-half hour concert, featuring Rice and seven of the nine nominees at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. Styled as a US equivalent to Britain's Mercury Prize, the Shortlist Prize honors cutting-edge performers whose latest albums have sold less than 500,000 copies at the time of their nomination.

October 2, 2003 Despite trashing Radiohead's latest album Hail to the Thief, Q magazine gives them the award for Best Act In The World Today for the third consecutive year at their annual Q Awards in London. The band doesn't appear.

October 2, 2003 The Del McCoury Band wins top honors at the 14th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards in Louisville, Kentucky. The group takes home the Entertainer of the Year award for the eighth time. Band members Mike Bub and Jason Carter win in the instrumentalist categories for Bassist and Fiddler of the Year, respectively.

September 24, 2003 Gordon Lightfoot is inducted into the Canadian Songwriter Hall of Fame.